Dawn of Mankind
by Angel's Anthem
Summary: When I woke up inside an abandoned hospital, I found mutated humans, plagued with a disease genetically altered to rip the skin off of its victims. With monsters battling monsters, the only hope for survival was in the hands of a serial killer. Ironic... isn't it?


**Dawn of Mankind: Comatose**

_**A/N: This is my first real go at a scary story. I figured, why not try an apocalyptic thriller with one of our favorite serial killers? I actually have a pretty cool idea plot-wise. I hope you enjoy the first chapter! Leave a comment if you want. CRITICISM is welcomed! PROCEED TO ENJOY!**_

_**WARNING: Mild descriptions and brief language. **_

* * *

**[Abandoned Hospital]**

My arms and legs were aching, stiff as a board. The numbness in my body hadn't yet receded, and I couldn't quite will myself to move; or open my eyes for that matter. I could _feel _my body as it lay motionless on something uncomfortably brittle. Slowly, I was able to wrench my eyes open, one eyelid at a time. My vision was hazy. I had to close and reopen them to blink the misty surface of slime that had formed on the surface from lack of use. Straining my muscles, I managed to glance at my hand. A stinging pain began to come back to life as it throbbed between my index and ring finger. I winced while pulling the muscles in my fingers to slightly move them.

Next, I tried to move my neck. It cracked. The pain in my joints increased as I forced my torso to its original posture, my spine having a similar response to my neck. I sighed in relief as my limbs regained their feeling, establishing full control. Suddenly, something tickled the back of my throat. I wheezed before coughing up a slimy serge of mucus. Groping my head, feeling a long-awaited headache coming along, I pried the IV out of my hand, tossing the skinny tube aside. At that very moment, I noticed the environment I had been imprisoned in.

I wasn't fully aware of how I hadn't noticed it earlier, but the only light still illuminated in the room was suspended above the hospital bed, hanging from one wire and flickering like a strobe flare. There were two machines, one of which monitored my heartbeat; still droning with a constant beep. I ripped off the suction cup that was connect to my chest, breathing heavily. The walls were no longer a cream white; they were grey, oozing with a liquid that resembled oil. At that moment, I tried to stand on two feet, but tumbled over, my legs giving out beneath my lessened weight.

I riled my brain to try to recall the last time I had stood on my own.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn't remember anything before I woke up; my name, age, the year, or even where I was.

Pressing my sweaty palms against the cold, grimy floor, I pushed myself up only to feel an awkward sensation between my legs. My clothes had been stripped from my body. Instantly, my eyes were drawn from the tube connected to my genitals to the second machine I saw earlier. It was a catheter machine which indicated that I had been unconscious for a surplus of time. Sighing, I braced myself for what came next. Wincing, I placed the tube between two fingers. After removing it, I tossed it aside along with the other devices that had penetrated my body.

Taking a deep breath, I tried, a second time, to walk. Cautiously, I managed to hobble over to the wall, lightly groping it as I struggled to find the door to my room. It was difficult to see past the flickering light. Suddenly, a cool breeze swept past my open chest as I jiggled the brass knob. Loosening its hinges, it finally swung free. Wide eyed, I peeked out into the hallway. I was horrifically shocked when I saw scrape marks across the walls, some leading into other rooms. I noticed how some of them had been bolted shut. The tile at the base of my toes was splattered with blood. I hugged my chest, shivering from the unusually cold air. My mind began to race.

I couldn't put two and two together; nothing made sense.

I carefully made my way to the middle and slowly began to walk to the end of the hall where I partially saw a welcoming desk; or something that resembled it. I glanced back to see the room I was in. Room 214. I suddenly heard a thud, turning around to see who was near me; it came from further down the hall. I continued to walk, looking from side to side into each room with an open door. I could faintly make out what appeared to be dull hospital beds, the fluctuating lights of medical machinery,but, most of all, the eerie strips of crimson and black ooze that had been seeping through the walls before.

Finally, I entered the clearing. There was an adjourning room too; perhaps a lobby. I walked around one of the desk where a few computers sat; all of them smashed in. Freezing in my search, eyes widening further, I heard a clicking noise, then a scratch. I refused to move, contemplating on whether or not it was a bug, until I heard nothing more. Frankly, I was freaked out; scared as hell, more like it. Shaking my fear away, I proceeded to open the file cabinets until I found an enormous pile of papers, organized by floors. I fluttered through them throwing the ones that meant nothing to me off to the side. This could be my only chance to find out who I am; or was.

**[Room 214 Patient Information Sheet]  
**BLOCK LETTERS PLEASE

_SURNAME_: _Cape_ _FIRST NAME_: _Adam_ _INITIALS_: _A.L.C __  
_

_RECORD NUMBER_ _(Office Use): 214550_

_DATE OF BIRTH_: _5/16/94_ _COUNTRY OF BIRTH_:_ Canada _

_HOME ADDRESS_: _2012 Flenbrew lane, Monroe, G.A, 30665 _

___TELEPHONE_:_ (770)-206-4340_

_MARITAL STATUS_:_(S)_ _____SEX____: (F)_

I looked away from the crinkled page, satisfied that I had gotten everything I needed. _Wait, what? My name is Adam? Just lovely..._ Seconds later, I heard the scratching noise from earlier and noticed, this time, that it was coming from one of the opened doors inside the hallway. Instinctively, I ducked behind the desk, hiding my naked body form whatever it was that had been following me. Feeling a sudden itch of curiosity, I tip-toed to the adjacent wall of the hallway. I bent my knees to come lower to the ground, head firmly pressed against the stained wallpaper. It was then that I came accustomed to the foul stench of blood. It made my stomach churn with nausea.

I covered my mouth and nose with my hand as I peered around the corner into the open room. Shaking with uncertainty, I saw a scruffy, grey tail, swaying from side to side like a dog enjoying a person's company. It pivoted its foot before tearing into the decaying body that lay on the ground. Its coat was drenched in human blood. The aroma of rooten flesh and rustic ooze made my incredibly empty stomach lunge into my throat. I shook my head, fighting away the urge to gag.

I glanced once more to the creature as it devoured what was left of the skeleton before looking for an escape. Just ahead, on the opposite side of the hallway, was the hospital entrance; two glass doors only a few yards away. However, a maze of broken furniture littered what distance I had between me and my escape; as well as the blood-hungry hound. Taking a moment to think it over, I hugged my chest and prepared myself to stand. Jumping up, I braced my feet against the checkered tile, listening to the light patter of my bare feet. Having no reconciliation of time, I pressed further. I was almost there as the light from the doors grew brighter and brighter.

Three more yards.

Two more yards...

"HOLY SHIT!" I screamed.

With a snarl, I felt the warm breath of the animal at the back of my ankles. I glanced behind my shoulder to see a thick, black mass. I assumed it had leaped out to consume my legs, but it had missed, fortunately for me, and had hit the wall beside me instead. Screaming, hardly recognizing my own voice, I continued to run. Finally, the door was only arm's length away. Grabbing the handle, I learned at the last second that it was locked. I slammed by body against the door, successfully breaking the rigid lock. Swinging the door open, I pushed myself into the outside world, closing the door behind me. The wild mutt, eyes glowing a sickly yellow, growled at me as I backed away.

Without any hesitation, I took off into the opposite direction, everything about my surroundings flooding my vision all at once. The sky was clouded with a heavy sheet of grey haze. The sunlight I thought I had seen before, wasn't sunlight at all. It was an overhead light from the parking lot. The entire city, from what I could see, was in complete darkness, a state that was seemingly between dusk and dawn.

As I ran, feeling what muscle I had left pulsing in sync with my heartbeat, I noticed that the cars lining the town streets were abandoned and scorched with black ash as if they'd once been on fire; the doors were left open as if everyone had been ordered to leave on the spot. Other cars were smashed together with shattered glass scattered across the pavement. Some of the store lights had been left on as well; others were busted or barely hanging from the ceiling. Papers were whirling about in the air, carried by a light breeze. Something else that mildly frightened me was a pile of shoes clumped together on the side of the road, although none of them appeared to be of the same pair. Slowing my pace, I began to walk through the streets. Though the buildings remained intact, everything around and inside them seemed to be in complete disorder.

I decided to test my luck; it was impossible for me to be the only human being in the city.

"Hello?" my voice cracked. _How embarrassing... _"Is anyone out there?"

I jumped, turning around as a car alarm went off. I didn't bump into it either, alarming me even more. My bones ached with fear. I knew something was there, because those kind of alarms don't just go off on their own. Squealing as my back it a light pole, I stopped, clamping my hand over my mouth to listen. Out of the silence, I heard a faint moan. I jerked my eyes toward the same wild dog that had attacked me inside the hospital. I would have screamed, but a hissing arrow beat me to it. I watched as it flew past my shivering, naked body, embedding its keep tip into the dog's eye. It fell over with a mute thud.

As if in slow motion, I turned around, head first then body, in the direction from where I saw the arrow released. I couldn't see anything. Though stupidity lurked behind me like a hound dog, I obviously knew something was there.I creepily advanced tot he corner where two buildings joined together. It was pitch black inside. I pushed the glass door open, hearing the bell ring as I entered. Cursing under my breath, I my right was a large hole in the glass window from where an arrow could have have been shot through.

Seeing that there was no one in the room with me, I observed the store. I noticed a few racks with jackets on them and a few shelves with jeans, some neatly folded and others strewn about the floor. I forgot the mystery archer for a moment and ran across the store. I found the small jacket size, squeezing it around my shoulders and zipping it up. It fit perfectly, if not a little tighter than expected. I had to tear the sleeves off because it was too hot for anything longer than a tank-top. Satisfied with the cotton vest I had created, I grabbed the nearest pair of jeans, a little uneasy about wearing them without any underwear, but decided to do wear them anyway. I found, too, the smallest pair to fit my incredibly skinny legs. It looked unhealthy. It was then that I decided to fix that first, as soon as I found food.

_Aw... food. _That sounded good to my growling stomach.

I continued on to find some shoes. I could already feel blisters beginning to form on the bottom of my tender feet. The only kind I could find, hanging from a rusty wire, was a pair of gladiator sandals. I strapped them on, feeling the premature blisters sting with discomfort. Biting my lip, I continued on. Since no one was around, I figured I would take what I'd need. There was a small duffel bag near the paying counter. I pulled it over my head, allowing it to hang loosely on one shoulder. Unzipping it, I began to stuff it with provisions I might need to survive this ordeal. It felt unreal to the point of fantasy. I had no idea what I was doing either. Thoughts of myself being in a simulation flickered in and out of my brain.

Sighing, I bent my knees to search through the foods stored at the base of the counter. All of it was candy, each past its deadline. Shrugging, I decided it was the only thing to eat. I doubted that the chips would make me sick. They would probably only be a little stale. I ripped a bag open and began to munch on the tasteless crumbs. Filling my supply bag with a few more bundles of chips, along with a lighter and three pocket knives, I ventured toward the offline cooler. Opening it, I found a dozen or two bottles of water. I grabbed six of them. I would have taken more, but my heavy duffel bag was already beginning to agitate my back. A sudden flash of red caught the corner of my eye. There were a few, miniature bottles of Advil. Smiling, I selfishly took what was left and filled my vest pockets when them. I knew, for sure, that I was going to end up needing some drugs by the time I figured out how to survive this charade.

As soon as I zipped up my bag and tightened the strap, something shattered against my skull. Pieces of a glass bottle flew past my throbbing head. Moments later, it stung while an oozing liquid dripped down the side of my face. My vision began to blur and my balance began to wain. The last thing I remembered was a solid crack against the pavement as my head hit the floor.


End file.
